<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>zelda (faithless fools) by michpat6</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29850231">zelda (faithless fools)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/michpat6/pseuds/michpat6'>michpat6</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>aftermath [23]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, angst? maybe? if you squint?, i am once again randomly feeling insecure about my writing so here's another chapter lmao, something's wrong with zelda wonder what it is, that's right we're back with the weird ganon stuff, this one is just me having fun with her powers its very self indulgent and cool methinks, unhealthy coping mechanisms when you're called a monster for existing check!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:22:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29850231</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/michpat6/pseuds/michpat6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zelda doesn’t want to talk about it until Link hands her an Endura Shroom Stew with extra carrots on the outskirts of Zora’s Domain, halfway to Foothill Stable.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Link &amp; Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Zelda &amp; Ganondorf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>aftermath [23]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033743</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>zelda (faithless fools)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zelda doesn’t want to talk about it until Link hands her an Endura Shroom Stew with extra carrots on the outskirts of Zora’s Domain, halfway to Foothill Stable.</p>
<p>He sits close to her before their small fire, their legs pressed together while he eats his own stew. It’s cold, even with Death Mountain looming over them, and the stew along with Link is a welcome, warm presence.</p>
<p>When Link’s done scarfing down his food, he waits for her to be finished before he quietly tells her, “I’m proud of you for standing up to Dorephan.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t ‘stand up’ to him,” she says. “I got angry and lashed out-”</p>
<p>“And put him in his place! He was in the wrong, calling you that!”</p>
<p>
  <em>I will not allow this monster to kill you too!</em>
</p>
<p>Zelda sets her bowl down in the grass, lets the spoon in her hand drop and clatter on the wood. A cool breeze ruffles her clothes and hair, and she looks up at the sky, to where dark clouds cover the full moon.</p>
<p>(Is it going to rain?)</p>
<p>“What happened with your power?” Link has the mercy to change the subject. “I thought you couldn’t summon it at will anymore.”</p>
<p>Zelda stares at her hands. “I <em>can’t</em>, I…”</p>
<p>But when she thinks of the power, thinks of summoning it, heat sparks in her chest and her fingertips glow.</p>
<p>“At least,” she swallows. “I couldn’t.”</p>
<p>He grabs her hand, pressing his fingertips to hers. Her power flares when they touch, engulfing her up to her elbows and humming pleasantly in her bones.</p>
<p>“What happened?” he repeats, softer.</p>
<p>She doesn’t know. But…</p>
<p>“I told Sidon last night that I couldn’t summon the power at will,” she whispers. “and that even if I could I wouldn’t do anything. So I thought I would interrupt Dorephan and tell him the same thing, show him that I was harmless by failing to summon it, but then he started to attack you. He started to <em>doubt</em> you, and I-”</p>
<p>She squeezes his fingers. The power crawls up to her shoulders and warmth flushes her limbs.</p>
<p>“It came to me like it had on Blatchery Plain when you fell, like it had when I held back the Calamity, and like it had when I sealed it. It was <em>more</em> than that, and I lost my temper. My civil, diplomatic idea dissolved as I started to just…<em>talk</em>.”</p>
<p>(Tearing into Dorephan like that, watching him cower before her rage as the power flooded her system, felt good. It felt borderline <em>therapeutic</em>.)</p>
<p>“He needed to hear it like that,” Link insists. “You weren’t wrong for getting angry.”</p>
<p>“But I don’t know <em>why</em> I got so angry,” she looks at him. “Do you-”</p>
<p>She stops, her question catching in her throat as her blood turns to ice.</p>
<p>Sitting in Link’s spot is the Calamity.</p>
<p>“Go on,” It prompts, grinning. Its red hair glows like the fire illuminating its yellow eyes. “Ask your question.”</p>
<p>There, against her palm, is a pulse thrumming beneath his cold, leathery skin.</p>
<p>Thunder rumbles overhead.</p>
<p>“Zelda?”</p>
<p>She blinks and Link is back, frowning at her. The Master Sword is buzzing in its scabbard, anxiety coming off of it in waves.</p>
<p>“I…” she lets go of his hand. The power scorches in her chest. “I just saw…”</p>
<p>One of his ears twitches. “The phantom Calamity?”</p>
<p>(It seems the Master Sword is good at guessing.)</p>
<p>She nods. “It-It was sitting where you were, touching me where you touched me.”</p>
<p>He looks around like he’ll be able to see it, reaching back and wrapping his hand around the Master Sword’s humming hilt. “Is it still here?”</p>
<p>“No,” she’s reluctant to answer. “I don’t-”</p>
<p>Water drips onto her knuckles, cold and shocking her out of her nerves. It starts drizzling.</p>
<p>Link curses as the fire hisses and dies, standing and taking out his Hylian Hood, wrapping it around her. He grabs her hand and walks, dragging her to her feet and pulling her along. “Stable’s just up the hill, we can take shelter and rest there. Can you stop glowing?”</p>
<p>Zelda stares at the back of his head and breathes, imagining the glow dimming until it’s nothing but a distant memory.</p>
<p>In response, the power roars forth, divine light crackling on her fingertips. A bolt of lightning strikes a nearby tree, setting it ablaze, and a deafening clap of thunder booms as the drizzling devolves into a steady pour.</p>
<p>“That’s a no!” she calls, raising her voice to be heard over the rain.</p>
<p>“Then try to stay under the hood so no one sees you, okay?!” Link glances back at her, shooting her a weak smile. “It’ll bring too many eyes and people will ask questions!”</p>
<p>She raises the hood. It hangs low in front of her face, obscuring her vision and hiding the golden light permeating her skin.</p>
<p>“Here!” he reaches into the bag of “stuff” and gives her an extra pair of gloves. “In case someone looks at your hands!”</p>
<p>And then they’re running up the hill, sprinting to the stable and trying their best not to slip.</p>
<p>(It reminds her of sobbing in Link’s arms in the middle of a forest, all hope lost as Guardians cornered them on Blatchery Plain.)</p>
<p>Was it supposed to rain today? The slate never showed that in the forecast, much less a torrential downpour. Come to think of it, Death Mountain is right there. It never rains this close to the volcano, and it’s never <em>cold</em>.</p>
<p>But it’s raining, and it’s cold, and the power is a steadily building pressure in her chest, swelling with every sliding step she takes.</p>
<p>(It feels…nice.)</p>
<p>Foothill Stable is somewhat full when they finally get inside, packed with travelers and stable attendants alike.</p>
<p>“Since when does it rain this close to the mountain?” A Gerudo loudly asks.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t!” A Hylian man cries.</p>
<p>(<em>Really</em> nice.)</p>
<p>Link ducks his head and pulls Zelda deeper into the stable, sitting her down at the table in the back and dropping their stuff on the floor, taking the seat next to her.</p>
<p>“Link!” The stable owner spots them. “You always know the weather, what’s going on?”</p>
<p>Link’s eyes flit to where Zelda pulls the soaked gloves over her golden hands and shrugs. “Beats me.”</p>
<p>Zelda stares at him from beneath her hood, confused. That’s his “I’m lying” voice. Does he know what’s going on? Did the Master Sword give him the answer again?</p>
<p>“You could make him tell you,” The Calamity stands behind him, leaning back against the wall with its arms crossed. “He is yours to command.”</p>
<p>Link stares at her, frowning again, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. Gold reflects in his pupils.</p>
<p>(They were cornered on Blatchery Plain and the Guardians took aim and they were going to die, <em>he</em> was going to die, and she stepped in front of him and-)</p>
<p>“Let go, Zelda,” The Calamity whispers, lips brushing the shell of her ear. Its hands settle on her shoulders, a heavy weight that presses her down into her chair. How did it get behind her? “Imagine what it would look like, the <em>relief</em> you would feel of just…”</p>
<p>Her palms burn in the gloves and the torches around the stable flare. A lightning bolt strikes the ground right outside and people jump back, shouting in alarm. The pressure in her chest lessens.</p>
<p>“What in Hylia was that?!” Someone exclaims.</p>
<p>“You can’t close the openings?!” Someone else yells.</p>
<p>“No!” The stable owner yelps. “Everyone, please just stay calm, I’m sure it’ll let up soon-”</p>
<p>(She stepped in front of Link and exploded. She <em>exploded</em> with power and wiped out the malice controlling the machines and watched Link die-)</p>
<p>“Look at them squirm,” Calamity Ganon continues, grabbing her chin and tilting her head in the direction of the travelers huddled together by the owner’s stall, their conversation a cacophony of fear. “They use your name to curse the power that allowed them to live for a century, only mentioning you when telling their children ghost stories to scare them into sleep. They would rather forget your sacrifices than worship at your altar.”</p>
<p>Somewhere, deep down, Zelda knows she should be afraid. The phantom of Calamity Ganon is here, her power is going haywire, and it’s pouring rain near Death Mountain. However, she’s not afraid. She’s anything but that, because her power is here. It’s here, and it’s kept her alive this long, protecting her, so why not give in and let it take over?</p>
<p>(Besides, she’s already a monster.)</p>
<p>“They lack true power,” The Calamity snarls, egging her on. “The kind of absolute power that those chosen by the gods wield. She who wields such power would make a suitable queen for this world, don't you think?”</p>
<p>(It’s said this before, she thinks. There’s a hazy memory at the back of her head of being suspended in a throne room, and Link was there, and so was a…little black and blue girl with fangs?)</p>
<p>Zelda lifts her hand towards the travelers, the Triforce illuminating on her knuckles over the glove-</p>
<p>“<em>Zelda</em>,” Link hisses, gripping her shoulder and yanking her arm. Her hand slaps down on the surface of the table, the Triforce flickering out. “<em>What the fuck are you doing</em>?”</p>
<p>She blinks, startled, and all at once the power fades. She stops glowing.</p>
<p>The Calamity is gone. The rain is quickly letting up.</p>
<p>“I…” she falters. Her hands shake. How is she bone dry when he’s still dripping? “I don’t…”</p>
<p>She doesn’t know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>don't mind me just ripping a ganondorf quote from twilight princess near the end there its for the vibes i promise</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>